Feed device on flow deformation presses



Dec. 8, 1964 Filed Dec. 29. '1961 H. WAGNER FEED DEVICE ON FLOW DEFORMATION PRES-SE8 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. flaws BY 441172,; M7-

Dec. 8, 1964 H. WAGNER 3,150,276

FEED DEVICE ON FLOW DEFORMATION PRESSES Filed Dec. 29. 1961 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

flaws flaw/5Q BY 61 -5 4/472- ,9 772,2 o S Dec. 8, 1964 H. WAGNER 3,160,276

FEED DEVICE ON FLOW DEFORMATIGN PRESSES Filed Dec. 29. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 65 G 83 a; 6'5 \4 85/ I I l o 54 i T 52 ah'f 6/ 7 53,43 i ,6? 56 44 4 I I. n f J] 57 -[!f' f I, 1 W

United States Patent 3,160,276 FEED DEVICE 0N FLQW DEFORMATION PRlEfiSES Hans Wagner, Uhingen (Fiis), Germany, assignor to L. Schiller A.G., Goppingen, Germany, a firm Fiied Dec. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 163,125 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 11, 18 61 8 Claims. ((Il. 2ti7-5) located at the end of a feed path along which the blanktravels under the action of a feeder device.

Such presses are for the most part used together with subsequently arranged machines which further manipulate tubes produced by flow deformation, for example to form finished containers, and which for example lacquer or print these containers. For this purpose it is essential that the outer surfaces of the flow deformation part shall not be scored since this would give an unpleasing appearance after printing or lacquering.

With the previous types of flow deformation presses it is not however easy to avoid such scoring on the periphery of the fiow deformation parts. In cases in which the blanks are introduced in front of the opening of the matrix and then introduced into the matrix, not by a special tool intended for this purpose but, for reasons of space saving, by the entry of the punch into the matrix, the device must hold the blank until the punch has forced this blank out of the holding device.

Directly thereafter, however, the material subjected to flow deformation flows out of the matrix along the punch against the direction of pressing. For this reason the parts retaining the blank in front of the matrix opening embody, in known machines, an inclined surface along the edge facing the matrix opening. As a result of these inclined surfaces the material flowing out of the matrix presses somewhat against the holding grippers so that the material can flow through the holding grippers along the punch.

The invention consists therein that, at the moment of pressing the blank, the region in which the material of the blank flows along the punch is free of any parts in contact therewith because at this moment the movable parts holding the blank have been displaced out of the region thereof.

A particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that parts produced by the flow deformation process with the machine according to the invention are free of scoring or other superficial faults on their periphery. These surfaces are very suitable for printing or lacquering and do not show any faults affecting the appearance after these additional steps.

With upright flow deformation presses it is comparatively simple to move the holding implements in good time out of the region where the press parts move since the holding devices only have to hold the blank until the punch has reached the holding device and thus the blank held by it, since in this case the holding device can place the blank in front of the matrix opening since the latter is open from above. The holding device can, therefore, cross the path of the punch while pivoting away and there is sufiicient time for this to be done.

In flow deformation presses in which the material flows through the matrix in the pressing direction there is obviously no point in making attempts to move the holding devices out of the way since the material being subjected to how deformation does not have to pass through the holding devices but passes out on the other side of the matrix.

The invention can be carried into effect in various ways. In a first embodiment of the invention to be fully described hereafter, and in which the blank is retained in its end position in front of the matrix by two relatively movable gripper parts, the invention can be arranged in such a way that a wedge-like member is provided movable synchronously between the limbs of the grippers and releases the gripper jaws as soon as the punch has entered the jaws and inserted the blank into the matrix.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention the blank is held in its end position by a movable and by a stationary gripper member in such manner that the center of the blank is displaced relatively to the center of the tool perpendicularly to the opening movement of the gripper arms. In this case a device engages the movable gripper arm which, after introducing the blank into the matrix, brings the movable part of the gripper out of the region of the workpiece material flowing back along the punch. The drive for this device can be derived from the plunger movement.

In this embodiment of the invention the stationary gripper arm naturally lies outside of the region of the workpiece material flowing along the punch since the diameter of the latter agrees with the diameter of the blank apart from the wall thickness of the article to be pressed. The blank must according to the invention be displaced laterally from the tool axis. In this case therefore only the movable arm needs to be moved outwardly. The movable gripper arm embodies an inclined surface on the side facing the plunger so that it is moved to the side by the punch entering into the gripper jaws. The matrix embodies a funnel-like opening which centers the blank at the center of the tool on introduction by the punch.

The stationary gripper arm can also be movably mounted if this should be necessary for other reasons, but its movement in the direction towards the workpiece axis must be limited by a stop or the like in such manner that this part of the gripper is in the required position when it holds the blank in its end position.

A second embodiment of the invention, described hereinafter in detail, refers to a flow deformation press in which the blank is fed to the end position by a feeder. In this press the invention features an arrangement wherein the feeder engages the blank with two surfaces arranged at right angles one to the other while on a third side a stop arm engages the blank in its end position, said arm co-operating with a device which brings the stop arm out of the region of the flow deformation material after introduction of the blank into the matrix.

Since the feeder positions the blank only by two surfaces extending at right angles one to the other, it can be moved back as soon as the punch enters the matrix. It will thus have left the region of the workpiece material flowing back along the punch when workpiece deformation occurs. The stop arm can be operatively connected with the feeder and moved out of the way at a suitable moment. It can, however, also be moved out of the. way by means of a device driven by the plunger, which is general gives a simpler construction and permits a more easily accessible assembly.

For example, with the constructional forms described above, the device releasing the movable arms embodies a rod slidably guided in the press housing in the axial direction of the punch, which is driven by the plunger, and embodies an inclined surface at the end of the rod or at a part thereof which is connected to the movable arm. Conveniently the rod is driven only at the end of the stroke of the plunger and its rear end lies for this purpose in the path of an adjustable stop fastened to the '8 is pivotally mounted on a pin 16.

O plunger which encounters the rear end of the rod at the end of the plunger stroke and opens the gripper arm or arms.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptionof specific constructional forms of the invention by way of example. The individual features may be utilized separately or several of'them may be combined in one constructional form of the invention.

Two constructional examples of a the invention are shown by way of example on the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a view of the parts necessary for understanding the invention, relating to a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary section taken along the line Ia--Ia of FIG. 1,

FIG. 2 shows a simplified section taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows adetail in plan, and

FIG. 4 shows another. embodiment in elevation.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a die or matrix'2 is provided with a recess 1, and is fastened in a matrix holder 3. Blanks 4 are supplied to a feed device in a guide formed for example by two rails 5 and 6 and a base plate 7 which brings the blanks 4 in front of the matrix opening and will be described furthel below.

The feed device embodies angularly bent rails 8 and 9 the almost vertically depending parts 8a and 9a of which form a lateral guide for the blanks andembody at their lower edges recesses 10 and 11 in the manner of the jaws of a gripper. The rails embody on the mutually opposite surfacesrecesses 12 and 13 forming a track 90 in which the blank 4 is adaptedto'be received. The projecting cover portions 91 of the rails 8 and 9 hinder the blanks from falling outwardly, in a direction away from the matrix 2.

The recesses 12 and 13 are somewhat undercut with the formation of small'shoulders 14 and 15 so that the guide surfaces ortrack formed by the recesses are somewhat contracted. These shoulders '14 and 15 determine the ready position for the blanks in which they are retained andfrom which'the blanks are positively moved forward into their final position determined by the recesses 10 and 11.

While the guide rail 9 is fixedly mounted the guide rail A spring '18 engages a part 17 of the rail 8, said part 17 being bent approximately at right angles. The spring 18 tends to force the recess 11 radially inwardly. This movement is limited by an adjustable stop 19. On inserting the blank 4 from the ready position against the shoulders 14 and'15 into the end position, the gripper. jaws formed by the recesses 10 and 11 yield slightly against the action of the spring 18.

'lever carryingat its two ends respective rollers 26 or 27.

The arm 25 carrying the roller 27 rests against the periphery of a cam disc 28 mounted on a shaft 29 which is driven from the crankshaft driving the plunger. The parts 22, 23, 27, 28 are held in engagement one with the other by means of a spring 30 engaging the lever arm and tending to hold the latter in its upper end position.

A bear'ing'pin'31 is fastened to the forward end of the lever 20 on which is pivotally mounted a latch member 32 which is thinned off in the manner of a pawl towards the matrix 2 and reaches with this thinned-off portion into the track 90 between the rails 8 and 9. A spring strip or wire 33 is fastened atone end to a bolt projection 98 of thelever 20, and engages at its other end the part 32, tending to hold it continuously within the track Q0 of the blanks. In the uppermost position of the lever 20, brought about by the action of spring 30, the pawl 32 is engaged by an adjustable stop 34 which abuts said pawl behind the bearing pin 31 as seen in FIG. 1 so that in the uppermostposition of the lever 20 the pawl 32 is rocked against the action of the spring 33 away from the track 90 of the blanks. The stop 34 is fastened to a support 97 securedzto a base plate (not shown) or similar stationary member of the press feed device. As soon as the lever 20 has moved downwardly to some extent, the pawl 32 is released from the stop 34 and rocks under the action of the spring 33 back into the track of the blanks.

The above-m-entioned'parts 31-34 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of applicants earlier U.S. Patent No. 3,069,010 wherein they have been identified .as respective elements 43-46. The latch member 32 in its biased normal position extends with itsend behind the rim of one of the blanks 4 in ready position by the shoulders 14, 15 and into'the track '90.

When the lever 20 is displaced .clockwise around the pin or pivot 21, the latch member 32 pushes the blank 4 down to final position between the depending rail parts During this downward movement, the latch member 32 is rotated somewhat about the pin .31 'so that the spring strip 33 attached to the latch member comes into contact with the side of the lever 20, preventing thereby any further clockwise movement of the latch member 32.

When the lever 20 is moved-out of its upper dead end position, stop 34 releases latch member 32 so that the latter can swing, already after a relatively short movement brought aboutby spring 33, in clockwise direction and into the track 90 of the blanks-4.

In the upper dead end position .of lever 20, the blank '4 can therefore move past the latch member 32 in track '90 and can drop into the ready position defined byshoulders 14, 15. Now the latch member canreach downward and behind one of the blanks and is capable of pushing it into final position.

There is a contact arm 99-securedto lever 20 which provides a safety device,'fully described in said US. Patrail 9 on a bearing pin36 which embodies two pins 37 and 38 so arranged that in either extreme angular position of the lever 35 one of the pins 37, 38 lies in'thepath of the blanks. 'The rail '9 embodies correspoding recesses 39 and-40 in the'path ofthe pins '37 and-38. A spring 41 engages the angle lever 35 and tends to hold the angled part of the-lever 35 in engagement with an adjustable stop 42 which is fastened to thelever 20. In the spring biased position .of the lever 35, the pin 38 is urgedto extend into the blank track 90.

A roller 43 is supported on .the bent limb 17 of the angle lever 8 and co-operates with the tapered end 44 of a rod 45 (FIG. 3) displaceable in the direction of movement of a plunger 48 in holders 46 and 47 fastened to the press housing. A stop screw 50 is adjustably fastened to the plunger 48 carrying a punch 49, and the rear end of the rod 45 lies in the path'of' this stop screw and is carried with the stop screw 50 against the action of a spring 51 in the region of the front reversal point of the punch '49. The return displacement of *the rod 45 is limited by the engagement of a collar 52 against the carrier 47. A roller 53 also co-operates withthe tapered tip 44 of the rod 45, said roller being fastened to a part 55 supported on a bearing pin 54. The part 55 carries a contact brush 56 leading to a conductor57 and forming part of a safety device which stops the machine if any part of the material being manipulated jams in the matrix 2.

As will be apparent from the-section shown inFIG. 2,

the lever. portions 8:: and 9a are so arranged that the blank 4 is held off-center in front of the matrix 2. The recess 1 in the matrix opens outwardly with the formation of tapered surfaces 58. When the blank is forced by the punch 49 into the matrix it travels along the tapered wall 58 which centers the blank with the tool and forces it into the bottom of the matrix opening forming the tool in which the blank is to be pressed. The rail parts 8a and a embody inclined surfaces 59 and 60 on their sides facing away from the matrix. When the punch 49 encounters the blank 4 the movable tongue 8a is pressed to the side by means of the inclined surface 59.

As soon as the punch 49 has passed through the guide rail parts 3a and9a the end stop 50 presses on the rear end of the rod 45 so that the tapered point 44 of the rod 45 enters between the two rollers 43 and 53 so that they are moved apart. It should be noted that a return spring 61 is provided for biasing the part 55 in a direction so that rollers 43, 53 are close by or separated only by the rod 45, as explained before. Thus the rail part 3a which previously was in engagement with the periphery of the punch 49 is lifted away from and also the contact 56 moves out of the region of the punch.

During flow deformation therefore no parts are in the region of the material flowing back along the punch 49 since the guide rail part 9a is already clear of the path of the punch right from the beginning and the guide rail part 8a and the contact 56 are moved by the coned tip 44 out of the region of the material flowing along the surface of the punch. As soon as the punch with the workpiece has again left the region of the guide rails 8 and 9, the coned tip 44 has again been withdrawn from between the rollers 43 and 53 under the action of the return spring 51, so that the contact 56 and the guide rail part 8a move back to their starting positions under the action of the return springs 61 and 18 respectively engaging them.

The feed device operates in the following way: The angle lever 35 is initially under the action of the spring 41 so that the pin 37 is in the recess 39 but the pin 38 is in the path of the blank 4. The blank moving downwardly is initially retained by the pin 38. When the lever 2t reaches its upper dead center the. angle lever 35 rotates in the clockwise direction by the stop 42, so that the pin 38 releases the blank 4. At the same time the pin 37 enters into the path of the blank so that the blank following it from above is retained by this pin. In the upper dead-center position of the lever 29 the pawl 32 also comes into engagement with the stop 34 so that it also is moved out of the path of the blanks. Thereby the released blank can move downwardly between the guide rails 8 and 9 until it falls on to the shoulders 14 and 15. It is then in the ready position. If now the lever 20 moves in the clockwise direction the pawl 32 moves away from the stop 34 so that this pawl enters into the path of the blanks under the action of the spring 33. During further downward movement of the lever 20 the pawl 32 engages behind the edge of the blank placed in the ready position; and the blank is thus inserted towards the end position between the recesses 11 and 12. Simultaneously the stop 42 moves away from the angle lever 35 so that, under the action of the spring 41 the pin 37 is rocked out of the path of the blanks while the pin 38 is inserted into said path so that a blank bearing against the pin 37 can fall into engagement with the pin 38.

In this constructional form of the invention the result is attained that in a particularly simple manner no parts lie in the region of the material flowing back over the punch. Thus, the workpiece being subjected to flow deformation is not liable to any scoring or the like on its surface. Because the blank is held off-center in front of the matrix, relatively to the center of the tools, it is only necessary that one guide rail 8 shall be able to tilt, which can be achieved in a very simple manner.

The parts necessary for understanding a second embodiment of the invention are shown in FIG. 4, in which the blank 4 is again introduced centrally in front of the matrix opening 1 and both limbs of a gripper holding the blank in front of the matrix opening can be moved out of the region of the material under flow deformation, as will be explained hereunder in detail.

In the constructional form shown in this drawing guide rails 65 and 66 guiding the blanks 4 are fastened on a base plate 62 being heldby a screw 63 and a bearing 64. The lowermost blank 4 rests in this case on a curved surface 67 of a feeder 68 which is fastened to an arm 69 and is pivotally mounted on a spindle 70.

The spindle 70 carries besides the arm 69, a further arm 87. In an arrangement similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and described hereinabove, the arm 87 carries a roller 71 resting against the periphery 72 of an appropriately shaped cam disc 73 driven by means not further illustrated. The two arms 69, 87 are connected by means of a rod 88 and a spring 74 so that the position of the two levers one to the other can be adjusted. In this way it is possible to adjust the feeder 63 as regards its end position towards the center of the matrix 2. The springaction intermediate element 74 has the advantage that in the event of possible jamming of a blank the movement of the lever 87 initiated by the cam disc 73 is transmitted only to the spring rod 88 so that no disturbance of the feed parts can occur. The feeder 68 embodies, in addition to the curved surface 67, two surfaces 75 and 76 arranged at right angles one to the other, on which a blank can be supported which is held on a third side by means of a stop face 77 in front of the matrix opening 1.

The stop member 77 embodies an angularly bent arm 78 and is pivotally mounted on a bearing pin 75. An arm 30 is also pivotally mounted on the arm 78 about the bearing pin 79, and the angular position of the arm 80 relatively to the arm 78 can be adjusted by means of a longitudinal slot 81 in the lever 80 and a fastening screw 82 engaging in this slot. This screw 82 serves for adjusting the stop arm 77 to the diameter of the blank used. A spring 83 also engages the arm 8!) and holds the arm 80 in engagement with an adjustable stop 84. A roller 43 is also fastened to the arm 80 which co-operates with a device for releasing the stop arm 77, which is described in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, particularly with reference to FIG. 3.

A contact 56 is arranged in the same way as in the constructional example of FIG. 1. A cover rail 85 is also fastened to the guide rails 65 and 66 which defines the blank track on the outside and hinders the blanks from falling forwardly out of the guide. At the lower end the cover rail 85 carries a cross rail 86 adjustable by means of slots, which terminates in front of the region of the matrix opening.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4 in which the blanks are supplied under the action of gravity or otherwise to a position laterally in front of the matrix opening 1, the lowermost blank 4 is introduced by means of the substantially vertically reciprocating feeder 68 in front of the matrix. FIG. 4 shows feeder in its upper end position. In its lower end position the end of the curved surface 67 moves away from the blank track along an arcuate path, toward the lefthand side, as shown by the arrow F in FIG. 4, so that the lowermost blank can fall into the feeder, and rests against the surfaces 76 and 75. Thereupon the feeder 68, under the control of the cam disc 73, rocks back again and remains in its upper end position (as illustrated) in which the blank is placed immediately in front of the matrix opening. In this position the blank is held not only by the surfaces 75 and 76 but also by the stop arm 77.

As soon as the punch has introduced the blank into the matrix the coned tip 44 of the rod 45 is inserted between the rollers 43 and 53 so that the stop arm 77 is rotated in the clockwise direction and the contact 56 is moved also in the same direction out of the path of the tool. At

the same :time the feeder68 moves rearwardly under the .action of the cam disc 73 :so that the region within which downwardly at .its outer end so that even upon a small rearward movement of the feeder 68 the two surfaces 75 and 76 come out of the region of the tools. The cam disc 73 is driven synchronously with the main'shaft driving the plunger. During the forward movement of the feeder 68 the surface 67 thereof holds back the other blanks in the feed duct.

What I claim is:

1. In a flow-deformation press including a stationary die member having a die opening, a reciprocable ram member and a chute arranged to-feed a series of blanks to said 'die opening, the improvement comprising a pair of spaced rail members arranged to receive said blanks and being spaced-to define a trackway of substantially the same width as that-of said blanks, guide means having a guidesurface thereon adapted to hold one of said blanks in an eccentric position with .regard to said die member,

said die opening being provided with a tapered centering surface forintroducing said one blank from said eccentric position on effect of movement of said ram member, pivotable support means arranged in the region of said die opening-in spaced relationship opposite said guide means, spring means for urging said support means toward said die opening, said support means being adapted to hold saidone blank-at said guide surface, rod means adjustably secured to said ram member, a tapered member supported by said rod means, and control means for swinging out said support means from said die-opening region, whereby the pressed material is free to flow againstthe pressing direction.

2..In aflow-deformation press, the improvement according to claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a feeder arm .swingable toward and away from said die opening and having thereon an-engaging surface for said oneblank which is substantially perpendicular to said guide surface, and wherein said support means has another -;guide surface opposite and substantially parallel with said :first-named guide surface of the guide means.

3. In a flow-deformation press, the improvement according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes a control member adjustable according to the diameter of said blanks and cooperating with said support means.

4. In a flow-deformation press, the improvement according to claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a stationary jaw member having said guide surface thereon, and wherein said support means has another guide surface opposite and substantially parallel with said firstnamed guide surface of the guide means.

5. In a flow-deformation press, the improvement according to claim 1, wherein said rod means is slidably guided in ;a direction parallel to the reciprocation of said ram member, said rail members having peripheral in- .clined surfaces of their sides facing away from said die member for cooperation with said control means.

6. In a flow-deformation press, the improvement according to claim 1, further comprising a stop member advjustably secured to said ram member and a spring adapted to urge said rod means into engagement with said stop -member, so that the moment at which said support means oneblank and advanceit along said trackway into said eccentric position.

,ReferencesCited in the file-of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,090,967 Sirnkins et a1. Aug. 24, 193.7 2,372,706 Blair Apr. 3, '1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,249,683 France 'Nov. 24,1960 

1. IN A FLOW-DEFORMATION PRESS INCLUDING A STATIONARY DIE MEMBER HAVING A DIE OPENING, A RECIPROCABLE RAM MEMBER AND A CHUTE ARRANGED TO FEED A SERIES OF BLANKS TO SAID DIE OPENING, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED RAIL MEMBERS ARRANGED TO RECEIVE SAID BLANKS AND BEING SPACED TO DEFINE A TRACKWAY OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS THAT OF SAID BLANKS, GUIDE MEANS HAVING A GUIDE SURFACE THEREON ADAPTED TO HOLD ONE OF SAID BLANKS IN AN ECCENTRIC POSITION WITH REGARD TO SAID DIE MEMBER, SAID DIE OPENING BEING PROVIDED WITH A TAPERED CENTERING SURFACE FOR INTRODUCING SAID ONE BLANK FROM SAID ECCENTRIC POSITION ON EFFECT OF MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM MEMBER, PIVOTABLE SUPPORT MEANS ARRANGED IN THE REGION OF SAID DIE OPENING IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP OPPOSITE SAID GUIDE MEANS, SPRING MEANS FOR URGING SAID SUPPORT MEANS TOWARD SAID DIE OPENING, SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD 